1970: Up Holland Labour Club Football

Stan Frank wrote...

we moved to Skem in august 1970. Studied at Glenburn from 1970-73.
Miss Ivey was head? i was in Stanley House - the best. Rivavlry & some fights any wkd that Liverpool played Everton....i was the only "yankee" in the school at that time. Later a kid from Boston (ken?) moved there. Anyone from that era who wrote their O levels in summer of 72? Paul Littlewood, Washbourne, Pamela Mason, Rosemary, Philip Brereton, Leslie, Linda B. Played on the Glenburn basketball team. The PE Coach was David Hall.
My family lived in Tanhouse 4 (#35 Eversley)& i recall walking through the various sections being built to take the shortcut to Glenburn. Lots of mud.
We used to play football in a large concrete area (Peter Joel was the best kid out there - could dribble the ball off his head & feet at least 100 times before it hit the ground). Everyone wanted to be Pele that summer. Being American i couldnt play football well at all. Had a hard time getting used to some of the scouse but loved the people, the steaming hot chips.
We worshipped at Quarry Bank on Sundays & on Wednesdays there were Bible classes for kids & adults. My Dad drove a blue 1970 Ford Transit filled with kids for Sunday School. Still remember going to the newsagent that morning in Feb 1971 when decimilization hit us and all the sweets went from 10 or 11d a pound to 5 New Pence.

Posted by: Stan Frank  | February 28, 2008 2:47 PM

Advertiser wrote...

***UPDATE***

Team manager JOHN McFARLANE rang in just a few hours after the Addy hit the streets to help us name some of the squad members.
It turns out the teams were UP HOLLAND LABOUR CLUB and HOLLAND MOOR, the latter being set up only because after a plea for squad members exceeded all expectations.
John helped set them up after coming to Skem in April 1967 from Anfield after getting a job at HARTWOOD HOSIERY on Gillibrands.
His first home was in BIRLEYWOOD but later he moved to ABBEYSTEAD.
“Me and TOMMY MCCANN started it up in ‘67 but we had to wait until ‘68 to get into the Sunday League,” he told the Advertiser.
“We put a poster up asking for players but we were inundated so we thought ‘we need to give these lads a game’ and we set up Holland Moor, so they were both linked.
“At that time, I’d say only a third of NEW CHURCH FARM was built, as was part of DIGMOOR and LITTLE DIGMOOR.
“TANHOUSE and BIRCH GREEN was just fields then and there was nothing there. The picture was taken at SPENCERS LANE but the fields have now gone as they were used to build the likes of AMERSHAM.
“On that day, I remember Up Holland won 4-3 and DAVE REES scored a hat-trick. It was actually one of the toughest games of the season!
“I was involved for around five to six years and was later league secretary. I was also involved with ASHURST and VICKS, (PROCTOR & GAMBLE).”
John, who now lives in Birch Green, has managed to give full names for all the players apart from three of them. Can you help with the rest?

The team was:
Front row (from left): Kenny Morgan, John (second name unknown, but he was Scottish), John McFarlane, Jimmy Knowles, Ray Radford, Neil Ward, John Kayll, Colin Weston, Jimmy Topping, Tony Campbell, John Green, Phil Fleming, unknown, Frank Edwards, Mike Haake, Tommy McCann, unknown, Peter Gray, John Moore, John Turner and Ray Fleming. Front row (from left): Bobby Mills, Derek Rankin, Frank McNally, John Bibby, Tony Martin, Dave Rees, Terry Hale (later went onto manage Skem Utd), Mick Corkhill, Alan Whitehead, Joe Croft, Steve Topping and John Walker Code NA

Posted by: Advertiser  | February 28, 2008 2:52 PM